A baby's woes
by lifes-mysteries18
Summary: Severus knew Albus, therefore he knew that Albus had known all along that he would give in. Blast it all. "I'll do it. I'll take him." SnapeHarry FatherSon relationship
1. prequel

No one could ever have predicted that an infant Harry Potter would somehow find his ways into the arms of Severus Snape. However, that is what is unfolding in Albus Dumbledore's office shortly after the night of October 31.

The baby slept peacefully in a bassinet beside his desk, as Dumbledore rocked it softly with his toe, humming melodiously. "Minerva has assured me that the Dursley's are not only the worst sort of muggles she has ever seen, but openly despise magic. We have deemed them unfit guardians for Harry, and hoped that you, Severus, would become his guardian."

Severus sputtered. "Assuredly Albus, you can not be serious."

Albus frowned, "Lily thought very highly of you. She named you second godfather after Sirius, its all in her will."

Snape remained impassive, "The friendship between myself and Lily not withstanding, I can hardly care for a child. Much less the child of James Potter."

A loud sigh proclaimed Snape's discomfort at the calm stare Albus was regarding him with. "I see no reason that the werewolf can not take in the boy."

"But you've just said the reason, you know as well as I do the laws. Most regrettably, Remus is considered unfit by the ministry to hold legal guardianship over anything."

"I won't do it Albus. I've never had any desire to be a father, or I'd have sired a child myself."

Dumbledore nodded, "If you will not, then I am afraid he will go to Lily's sister."

"P-Petunia? You can not send the boy to Petunia, Albus, how often she discriminated against myself and Lily for being what we were, warning the children to stay away from us when I went home with her on breaks or we'd debase them."

"And from what I've heard from Lily, her husband is just as bad. Not to mention their spoiled boy Dudley. Only a year Harry's senior, though I doubt they'd grow as brothers. Alas, there is no other choice. They are family, and you and Sirius were named in the will. As neither of you are able or willing to take responsibility for young Harry, he will go to his only remaining family."

Blast. He was going to give in, Albus _knew_ he was going to give in. Blast and blast again. The baby gurgled, waking and raising sleepy, pudgy arms into the air. Ladies would consider him disgustingly cute, as well as soft men. Severus though is not, and never will be a soft man. The baby gave a small cry as Albus lifted him into his arms. Oh blast. Blast it all.

"I'll do it Albus."

Blue eyes twinkled; Severus _knew_ that he had known he would take him in all along. Harry was transferred from the frail looking, but looks can be deceiving, headmaster to the equally deceiving harsh, dark man. "I expect you've already sent things to my rooms?"

Albus nodded, "Only about an hour ago." A dark glare, and Severus left, baby bouncing in his arms.


	2. of howling and food fights

Chapter 1

Of howling and food fights

Now back in his comforting chambers, Severus was at a loss. What to do with the boy? He supposed that his library could be changed into a baby's room. Oh, but to lose his precious library. Making up his mind, he conjured book shelves into both his room and sitting room and levitated the books from the one room to the two others. Harry, still balancing on his hip watched in awe as the books soared across the room. Quick flashes of colors he recognized, but did not know by name.

Job finished, Snape returned his attention to the gurgling and sputtering baby in his arms. Drool dripped from the corner of his mouth and his nose ran. 'Disgusting,' Snape muttered, cleaning his face with his wand, 'absolutely disgusting.'

One of the unused books shelves in the corner of the small library became a crib, sturdy and oak, it was much too large for young Harry. He shrank it just a bit. Another book shelf became a table as well as a wooden dining chair, and a highchair, while the final book shelf became a large plush recliner. The small bookshelf filled with all his childhood books remained. If they boy ever grew smart enough to read, he would probably enjoy 'Merlin's Magical Maladies' and 'The Happy Hippogriff'.

"Alright," he said, mentally checking off 'sleeping quarters' in his head, "that's done." He set Harry in the crib and Harry stared at the dark man pacing the room with large green eyes. Upset at being ignored, his eyes screwed up and nose scrunched while he let out a loud wail.

Startled Severus spun, walking briskly back to the crib. "What in lord's name are you crying about?" Harry only wailed louder.

"Okay then, umm… food. Yes food." At the mention of food, a small pink house elf apparated into his room. "You is wanting food master?"

"Indeed. Baby food."

"Yes master. I is being right back."

True to her word, the elf reappeared in moments with a dish of soft mush and a plastic spoon. Severus placed it before his charge in the highchair. "Eat it then." He said when Harry made no move to do so.

He breathed a sigh of relief when one pudgy hand reached towards the bowl. How anyone could eat such disgusting was beyond the pedigreed pureblood, it looked like it had no taste at all. He soon found that to be true, for only moments later the aforementioned mush was splattered on his face and robes, somehow making its vile way into his mouth.

Harry laughed gleefully, clapping his hands together. As Severus cleaned himself off, he realized how stupid he'd been, expecting a barely over one-year-old to feed himself. Sighing, he lifted the spoon and dipped it in food. He lifted it to baby Harry's mouth. "Open up." He said after Harry did nothing, "Come on, open your mouth."

"Vrmmmmm," Harry spat in Snape's face. "Vrrrrrrrrrrrrmmmmmmm"

"Oh for the love of, Okay Potter," He looks around hesitantly, it would be just like Albus to walk in at this moment. "Here comes the auto… vroom."

Harry clapped his hands again, opening his mouth. Quite intelligent for one so young really, Lily's work he was sure. The feeding continued until Harry's eyes finally drooped tiredly and allowed Snape to put him to bed.

Severus grew steadily more competent where it came to childcare over the next year, feeding Harry was no longer a chore, but after a hard day of teaching potions, he found himself looking forward to making the auto noise just to see him laugh.

This was not one of these days. "Just open your mouth Harry." He said tiredly, Harry's mouth remained closed, he wanted the auto.

"Just open your bloody mouth Potter!" he yelled. Harry's mouth remained closed, and he giggled through his closed lips. "I can't _do_ this. I need a vacation!" Severus yelled, throwing down the spoon.

Later that night, he told Albus just that. "I could arrange to cover your classes for a week or two Severus. Maybe you should take Harry to your cottage in Devon. He hasn't been there yet has he?"

"I need a vacation _from _the boy Albus."

Albus's face remained impassive. "Ah. I see. Well, I'm sure Remus would be willing to take care of Harry until the next cycle."

"There then." Snape sighed, "Tell Lupin to come get him in the morning, I'll pack his things tonight."

Albus left and Snape turned back to Harry. "Bed time Potter."

"Bed time Pota!" Harry repeated, laughing.

Snape did not laugh, or even smile at his charge's antics. He just picked him up, dumped him unceremoniously in his crib, and left to pack his belongings without a second thought.

Hours later, he still lay in his bed staring at the ceiling. Feeling slightly guilty, actually very guilty, about how he had treated Harry. It wasn't his fault he had to deal with incompetent children all day. Sighing, and knowing that he would never get any sleep without checking on the boy, he got up, wrapped himself in a dressing gown, and walked through the door into Harry's adjoining room.

A small blue bundle lay in the middle of the crib. From his place at the door, Severus wondered if Harry had again managed to kick off his blankets again. Last time he'd gotten dreadfully sick. As he moved closer, he saw that the blankets were still tucked neatly under the mattress and Harry just lay curled atop them.

It dawned on him that in his anger, he hadn't tucked the small boy in. Reaching a pale hand down, he felt Harry's cheek. Cold, much too cold. He'd moved from his quarters in the dungeons to the wing set away for teaching staff just so the drafts would not sicken the boy, and here he was, letting him get sick anyway.

He lifted Harry out of the crib and cradled him against his neck. Jiggling him softly, he successfully woke him up. Pudgy hands rubbed at sleepy eyes as Harry stared at him through half closed lids. "Cold, Harry?" Snape whispered, grabbing a blanket and wrapping it around his sleepy godson. Harry snuggled closer to his neck. "Yes." He said in his childish voice. "I cold Sevis."

"Let's go sit by the fire. I'll read you a story." Balancing Harry on his hip, and plucking Merlin's Magical Maladies from the floor, he went to sit in the plush recliner by the fire. "Tomorrow, you're going to go stay with uncle Remus for a while. That sounds fun doesn't it?"

"Uncle Remy!" Harry cried, suddenly awake.

"Yes, he'll come in the morning. And you want to be wide awake for that don't you? So we wont read all of Merlin tonight, but I'll send it along with you."

"All!" Harry shouted, "All Sevis all." He hit Severus on the chest with his tiny two and a half year old fists.

"Harry!" Severus exclaimed. "That's it. No Merlin at all. Maybe next time you'll behave a little better." Harry started to cry, 'Merlin! Merlin!' he sobbed, and Severus found himself angry at the small boy for the second time that day. He put him in his crib again, made sure to tuck him in, and left.

Back in his own room he set the book on his night table and checked his watch. Nearly four, Remus would be there at eight. Deciding Harry didn't deserve his favorite book, he brought the duffle bag containing the rest of his things into the den.

Four hours later he awoke to a hard knock on the door. Opening it revealed his old child hood nemesis Remus Lupin. One of the famed marauders. Well, so much for famed. Two dead, one in Azkaban and only the werewolf left.

"Good morning Severus! Did I wake you? So sorry, I'm sure. Now where's Harry?" The man was excited, truth be told, it was annoying Severus to no end. It was eight in the morning for Christ's sake. Looking at his watch, he confirmed that it was exactly eight. Promptness was obviously something the werewolf valued.

"Still asleep. A moment if you please, I'll wake him." A minute or two later Harry was carried out of his room still yawning. "Remy! Remy!" he squealed, struggling against his godfather to get to his late father's best friend.

"Hello Harry! Ready to go? All packed I see." He smiled, motioning to the duffle bag by the door. Severus nodded, confirming it was full of Harry's things. Putting Harry on the floor, Remus grabbed his hand. Holding him upright and helping him to walk, Harry took a few tentative steps before falling on his bottom.

"We're still working on that." Severus explained, with a small smile. Harry smiled back. No longer angry from last night, Severus excused himself to his room and came back with a square package wrapped in brown post paper.

"Only if he's good, Lupin. Don't spoil him." He warned, slipping the package into the duffle. "Good bye Harry." He knelt before the boy, "be a good boy for Remus, and if I hear you were bad, you wont be allowed to come to uncle Albus's feast."

The Halloween feast was fast approaching, and conveniently fell on the same night as the full moon so Harry would be back a few days prior to that. Harry loved the feasts, as regularly he was not allowed to eat with the students. They all fawned over him and it was hard on Severus to bare it for one night, never mind every.

"Sevis!" Harry cried, reaching up his arms. Severus obliged picking him up. "You no like me!" Harry sobbed, locking his arms around Snape's neck. "You no want me!"

"Oh shush Harry." Murmured Snape, embarrassed. Remus was smirking slightly. "Course I still want you. You're coming back soon, just going for a visit."

"You too!"

"Not this time. You go have fun. I packed your bear and Merlin for Remus to read to you. You'll have a great time." He wiped the tears off Harry's face with his fingers. Harry gave him a sloppy kiss. "Kay."

Remus left with Harry peaking over his shoulder at Severus. Severus waved at Harry with a smile and winked. Harry smiled back.

* * *

I dont know much about babies, so tell me if you read anything that's like WOAH wtf? But, I looked up when most start talking and it said 'three to four word sentences after 20 months' and harry's a little over 2, so that's pretty good i think.

review?


	3. of pixies and puppies

Severus Snape lay sleeping in his deep blue bed. It was late, and he was tired after a along day of teaching classes. Today was one of the worst days of his week, as it was three first year classes in a row.

First came the Ravenclaw/Hufflepuff, and then double Gryffindor/Slytherin. The Gryffindor/Slytherin class was quickly coming, yet again, unbearable, even though school had yet to complete 3 full weeks in session. The animosity between houses fast spread to the new students, even ones who had never heard the word Gryffindor until they set foot in the school.

After dealing with two full hours of pranks and shouting matches, he had wanted nothing more to go home and collapse in bed. His responsibilities expressly contradicted that wish however, when he got home to a disgruntled house-elf chasing his 5 year old ward around the sitting room.

"Harry Potter." Severus said sternly, causing the boy to skid to a stop directly in front of his feet and look down shamefaced. "When I solicited Dobby to baby-sit you, I did not imagine I would be sentencing him to chasing after you. That is now how I raised you to behave. I believe I told you to stay in bed today- we have to get rid of that cold."

"Not sick." Harry muttered, and then gave a large sniff. Rubbing his eyes, he glared stubbornly at Severus. "Dobby maked me steam."

"Made, Harry. And that was your medicine. The pepper-up potion will help get rid of your cold. It's time for another dose soon, actually."

"NOT SICK!" Harry yelled this time, ducking under the kitchen table to avoid the steaming potion his papa was holding.

"Come here please, Harry." Severus requested.

Harry held tight to the legs of the table when Snape finally tired of the game and tried to levitate him out. His grip was no match however, and he soon soared right to his father's outstretched arms.

"Papaaaa" Harry whined, "Papa it makes my eyes cry." Severus hoisted him higher on his hip and settled him on the counter top. "Open wide please, Harry." Harry tightened his lips, Snape sighed. He knelt a little so that he was eye to eye with Harry.

He could see the tears welling in his eyes and the way his hands were shaking. "Does it truly hurt you to take this potion, Harry?"

Harry nodded, opening his mouth. "My ears hurt, and my eyes sting, and you don't care."

"Oh I very much care, Harry. Hold on just one moment." Opening the cabinet, he felt around the top shelf. Success.

Emerging from the cupboard, he saw that Harry was actually crying now. "Hush now, Harry. It is all right. Look, no more potion." He vanished the potion from the goblet and took a table spoon from the cutlery drawer.

"This is muggle cold medicine. Not half so effective, but well enough for one as young as you. I believe it's cherry flavored." He enticed, allowing Harry to smell the medicine.

"'Kay." Harry submitted, obediently swallowing the Cherry Flavored syrup. The medicine soon allowed Harry to doze off in Severus' lap during "Max the Muggle and the Pesky Pixie Problem."

That was hours ago, however, and Harry and Severus had both long since gone to bed.

Too bad that in the middle of the night, Harry had woken up; quite frightened over a horrible dream he'd just had about his own pixie problem.

Creeping slowly into his papa's room, he warily peeked over the edge of the bed. He knew that Severus _might_ get angry with him for waking him up- after all; his papa had been awful tired when he went to bed.

On the other hand, his dream had really rattled him. He wanted nothing more than to climb into papa's bed and curl up against him.

"_Papa_..." he whispered, clutching his bear that he'd had for as long as he could remember to him. "_Papa are you awake?_"

Severus started, his instincts told him something was amiss… there was someone in the room. He stealthily took his wand from beneath his pillow and with the reflexes of someone half his age pointed it at the offending noise and cried Lumos.

The light reflected Harry's frightened eyes, all the larger without his glasses on, staring at his raised wand. He quickly lowered it, leaning over towards little Harry.

"Gracious Harry, you startled me."

"Sorry." Harry whispered, biting his lip. Snape cast a quick time checking spell. Two in the morning. Lord.

"Why are you up, Harry?" He asked as patiently as he could manage. "It's very…"

"Bad dream." Harry interrupted. "Pixies in my room."

"Oh Harry." Severus sighed, swinging his legs over the side of his tall bed. He pulled on a dressing gown and hoisted Harry into his arms. "We'll get you some pumpkin juice, and then back to bed."

"NO!" Harry cried, "They're in my _room_ papa. I want to sleep with you."

Severus rubbed his eyes, he was really too tired for this. "You're room is perfectly fine. And your ferocious little friend here," he held of Harry's bear, "is more than fit to protect you."

"_Please_ papa." Harry moaned, drinking his juice. "They say they're going to eat me! _And_ Franklin!" he cried, holding up his bear for his papa to inspect.

"Well now, we mustn't allow that to happen. It would be terribly lonely here all on my own without Franklin." Severus teased.

"And me!" Harry pouted, "Right?"

Severus tweaked his nose, smiling. "Even more than Franklin. Come now, you can stay with me."

The bed was not quite so roomy with Harry curled up into his chest, but he didn't mind. The rhythmic breathing of his young charge was enough to lull him into a comfortable haze, and welcome him back to sleep.

"_Who told you that Harry?" Severus asked a barely 4 year old Harry Potter. _

"_Charlie did. Said everyone has one." Harry wiped his eyes. "Where's my mommy?"_

_Severus sighed, "Harry. Try to understand me - once, you did have a mommy. And a daddy. But long ago, when you were just very little, they had to go away. They're very far away, and can't come back but I know that they love and miss you very much."  
_

_Most of this seemed to go straight over his head, but Severus got the impression Harry at least vaguely understood. It had been two years since Harry had come to live with him, and after the first few bumps and bruises – he had been very happy alone after all- he could not imagine himself without him._

"_Love me?" Harry pulled him out of his thoughts, "I'm sorry, Harry. What?" _

"_Do you love me?" The open honesty in a child's voice, especially this child's voice could get to anyone. Even Severus. _

_Severus smiled softly, "Yes Harry, I love you very much." _

"_Wish you were my daddy." _

_Me too. Severus immediately felt guilty for even thinking such a thing. "Harry, he loved you so much. I fail in comparison, I'm afraid." _

_Harry was fairly used to big words, being around Severus so much. Often he didn't understand the smaller words that the kids at school used, because of his influences at home. _

_That's why Severus had enlisted a few of the teachers to help him tutor Harry in basic skills while he taught. Harry enjoyed his lessons with Hagrid best, being awed by the half giant. Hagrid taught him how to take care of his owl, Hedwig, and about all the other animals around on Saturday mornings. Remus Lupin was taken on my Dumbledore to help with his English Language Arts skills and basic maths. _

_Harry was progressing rapidly and Severus could not believe the pride he felt for another person. _

_Harry was babbling on about the unicorn Hagrid had PROMISED to show him on Saturday, forgetting all about the serious discussion they had just had when Severus awoke. _

Dreams were not unfamiliar to Severus, he dreamed nearly every night. Sadly, they were not all good ones though. His dark past did not allow for that. Waking up to Harry beside him helped to put him in a better mood though. He brushed the hair out of Harry's eyes, and the little one stirred.

"Good morning, Harry. No more pixies in your dreams I trust?"

"Franklin chased them away Papa, you should have seen! He growled and shook his claws at them and they all just flew away. Just like Hedwig when she hunts. _Real_ fast!"

Severus made a proper amazed face, and pulled Harry's pajama pant leg down, where it had ridden up to his knee. The puppies on it were running around, away from Harry's finger where he was trying to chase them.

"Breakfast, then off to your tutor, son." Harry nodded, and grinned, allowing himself to be picked up and wrapping his legs around Severus' waist. He _knew_ that his papa wasn't _really_ his papa, but it still made him happy when he called him son. And he was as good asa real papa, anyway.


	4. of christmas and obstinacy

Being seven, Harry thought, made you very, very grown up. He no longer needed a step stool when brushing his teeth, and his spill-proof glass was a thing of the past.

For Severus Snape however, being seven meant being particularly obstinate and difficult to handle. It was all he could do to make Harry eat his breakfast in the two hours he had between waking and the beginning of first class, while still allowing himself enough time to prepare for his own day.

Fifteen minutes before Severus left, Mrs. Longbottom would knock on the door, and drop off both Neville (her grandson) and Seamus Finnigan, the son of a young witch with whom she was personally acquainted. Sometime after that, (_never _on time) Arthur Weasley would waltz in, dropping of his own youngest son. It had come to Severus' attention on Harry's sixth birthday, that Harry had no friends of his own age.

He had had a small celebration at dinner time, just a picnic on the grounds with a few chosen friends, and Severus could not help but note that Charlie Weasley and Nymphadora Tonks were the youngest of all the (mainly staff) guests. Because of this, he solicited that very same Charlie Weasley, whom he knew that a younger brother nearly the same age, to ask his mother whether or not they could take lessons together.

Molly had sent her enthusiastic assent, further informing Severus of Ron's two playmates that were also looking for somewhere to take lessons together. Thus, the four boys all met at Hogwarts each day excluding Sundays, and took lessons from eight until three.

Today was a very, very special day. On Christmas, for their lesson with Hagrid, the boys were allowed to help with the decorating of the great hall. Usually they let the professors magic the decorations around while they tied multi-colored bows on Dumbledore's long beard.

This year they had chosen to not only tie the ribbons around Dumbledore's beard, but they had been given permission to display some of their artwork around the hall. Harry had attempted a Christmas Scene, complete with red blob #1, 2 an 3, under a large green blob with two people-ish looking figures covered with similar black hair. He had wrote under the stickmen, in the cursive writing he had just began to learn, _Harry and Papa_ and his proud Grandpa Albus had framed it along with his friends and scattered them around the hall, there was now one fanciful drawing at the end of each house table.

Harry's, of course, ended up at the end of the Slytherin, much to Snape's dismay and to Ron's, his ended up right beside his older brother Charlie's table. As the Hufflepuffs all glanced at Neville's picture of a wand casting a 'wicked spell' at his grandma's red handbag, there came a loud burst of laughter and Charlie lifted the framed photo that hung above Gryffindor table off the wall.

"Professor," he yelled over the dull murmur of the now eating students, Professor McGonagall looked up, scandalized, but Professor Dumbledore merely inclined his head in question. "Do you mind sir, if I send this home to the twins?" Charlie finished, quieter, having moved closer to the head table. "Fred and George will go bonkers if they see Ronnie's painted them in dresses."

"Ah Mr. Weasley," Dumbledore smiled, "if only I could. I'm afraid however, that artistic license belongs to young Ronald and he has expressly forbidden it being shown at any time to those he depicted."

Ron smiled from the "second head table" that stood, albeit a little lower to the ground, directly in front of the faculty one. Charlie stopped briefly to talk to his brother, drawing Severus' attention towards his own young charge, who was staring sullenly at his food.

When dinner ended, and Harry's mood had not seemed to better, Snape cut him off as he went to follow his friends back to his quarters where they would wait for their families to pick them up. Being a keen observer, Severus had noticed that Harry seemed to have been particularly avoiding Seamus' eye.

"Something wrong?" he inquired, Harry shook his head, no. Severus raised an eyebrow and sighed, the obstinate seven year old was rearing its ugly head again. "Nothing happened between yourself and Mr. Finnigan?"

"_No,_ papa," Harry moaned, "he just said something and I didn't like it. Neville neither."

Ah, Severus thought, and what one similarity did Neville Longbottom and Harry Potter hold-

"Started talking about how mommies and daddies were the best thing about Christmas, cause they give you lots of gifts and read you stories before bed, and I said _Seamus you shut your fat mouth cause my papa reads me stories and gives me gifts and he's just as good as any mommy and daddy put together!_ And you know what he said papa? He said that it can't be as good cause there's only two of us, and he's got his mommy and daddy and Bethy, and then Neville said that he's just got his gran but she reads to him and gives him presents too, and his uncle Algie even spends Christmas with them every single year and Ronnie didn't say anything cause he's got _all _those brothers and sisters and him mommy and daddy and now I lose cause I only have one person and Neville has two, and Seamus has three, and Ronnie has eight."

Tears of frustration leaked out of Harry's eyes and he wiped them away furiously. "S'not fair." He muttered, "I like just me and you, why's in not as good?"

Severus was at a loss, for the billionth time since Harry had come to live with them, he wished that Harry had kept his two parents, and the inevitable siblings who would have followed.

"I like just us to Harry, but remember, it's not, truly, just us. I'm sure Grandpa Albus and Aunt Min would be horribly upset to think you've forgotten them."

Harry looked thoughtful, "Yeah." He nodded, "I didn't mean to forget them." He smiled, "guess Neville loses."

"Endeavor not to think of it that way, it's a horrible thing to say, Neville loses because his family is smaller than all the others. I'm sure he'd be very sad to think that you had just been talking about him the same way as Seamus had just been talking about you."

"Can we run and say bye before Mrs. Longbottom and Mr. Weasley come?"

Severus nodded, "Yes, Harry, though I'd be more worried about catching Neville and Seamus than the possibility of Ronald's dad ever coming on time."

So basically what I'm doing is raising Harry up to Hogwarts and then it's going to go along the story line of the books, but I'll change them around. If that makes sense... so Harry's 7 in this chapter, and next one he'll be 9, and then 11 Hogwarts love.

BTW, just saw GoFJ LOVVVVVED IT.


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